Legal Commentary

In reading a review of several books about John and Abigail Adams I learned that there's an Adams Memorial planned for Washington, D.C., somewhere near the White House.  It has to be an official effort -- there's legislative authorization  for a foundation, which has a website (though to judge from it, apparently not much else yet).

I like the idea, and wish it well.  There's something quite attractive about honoring a non-charismatic, by all accounts plodding, but careful and thoughtful figure.  Absolutely -- he engineered the Alien and Sedition Acts, and his legacy will always carry that.  But there was a lot that he did that was right.  John Marshall, keeping us out of war with France, and generally keeping the system running when it could have collapsed in the absence of George Washington.

But more than on the merits, I like the symbolism of the idea.  As I said, there's something especially attractive about honoring someone non-charismatic.  Jefferson's statue in his memorial is undeniably heroic. Lincoln's is stately but melancholy, maybe because how we know his Presidency ended.  Roosevelt's is almost lost, and is certainly de-emphasized, by the "wandering through history" sense you get from visiting his memorial.  Adams' -- if it's true to what we think we know about him -- won't be any of those.  For a country that has become so charisma and fame-obsessed, it's nice to imagine a memorial to a President who wasn't dashing, didn't become fabulously wealthy or live on an estate, and who earned his place through plodding hard work.  And in our current age, we could learn from his example in defending the hated British soldiers accused of murder over the Boston Massacre.

So here's to you, President Adams.  And to the Memorial Committee: as soon as we see a model of the statue, I'll be sending in my penny.